Now that he's retired, psychotherapist Hal Brown of Middleboro finds that sharing his ideas is his own personal therapy.

It’s all about morality: The case of the Middleboro hit and run driver

About this blog

By Hal Brown

Hal Brown of Middleboro earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in social work at Michigan State University and went on to be a mental health center director and psychotherapist. He has always had a passion for writing, and has been on the
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Hal Brown of Middleboro earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in social work at Michigan State University and went on to be a mental health center director and psychotherapist. He has always had a passion for writing, and has been on the internet since the days you had to learn HTML code to publish a website.

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Oct. 14, 2013
12:01 a.m.

Investigators believe they are searching for a 2005-2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee, black color and with front-end damage. The damage points to a Jeep that “likely has a missing or broken right front marker lens, shattered right headlight lens and right front bumper damage.” Authorities are asking anyone with further information to contact PoliceWeb@middleborough.com or call 508-923-4636 if they know of an SUV matching the description with front-end damage.

See Updated Black Jeep Grand Cherokee photo below.

Click above to donate to reward fund

New: A message to the passenger in the vehicle (bottom of page))

(Updated) I expect most of you have heard about the hit and run accident which killed Michael Dutra while he was riding his bicycle in Middleboro early Friday evening.

There are calls for this person, I'll refer to them as Driver X, to come forward. Certainly they have a moral obligation to do so.

As I write this it’s Monday morning. Presumably the police still do not know the individual’s identity. They do have leads, and I hope they have suspects.

I expect that by now they know from experience that the driver isn’t likely to walk into the police station voluntarily.

If Driver X was drunk, one of the charges would probably be vehicular homicide. With no alcohol in their bloodstream by now, this could be proven by witnesses who observed them drinking to excess and being visibly impaired. I don't know the statistics, but it makes sense that many if not most, people who drink and drive do so away from home.

If they were speeding, something the police may already have proof of from the skid marks, this would add to the potential charges.

If Driver X was sober, they would still face very serious charges for leaving the scene of an accident, in doing so failing to notify the police immediately, so the victim could be receive emergency medical treatment.

Owning up to what will change the driver’s life forever is no small thing. Needless to say, it is the right thing to do. It is a moral imperative. I have no doubt it is the biggest decision Driver X has ever been faced with.

No matter what happens to Driver X, he or she will still be alive even if they are in prison. If they are young they may spend a large portion of their adult life behind bars. If they are middle aged they may grow old in prison. If they are elderly they may die in prison.

Someone knows Driver X. As of today (Oct. 15) they know what kind of car they have. They know what kind of damage was done to it.

They may suspect them, or may actually know with little or any doubt that they caused the death of Michael Dutra.

Perhaps it is a passenger who was in the vehicle.

Perhaps is it a member of their family or one of their friends.

Someone may have seen them getting drunk at a bar.

Someone may have noticed a black Jeep SUV with damage to the front end. (This has been identified by the police as a 2005-2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee black in color and with front-end damage.)

Whoever knows or suspects who Driver X is may not want to be responsible for sending them to prison. If this is the case, they face a moral quandary if they are close with Driver X.

Any and all of these people have a moral obligation to notify the Middleboro police detective’s division at 508-923-4636.

Micahel Dutra, a man who beat a life threatening illness, is gone forever. His grieving family lives on. They deserve some closure.

Knowing whose reckless, negligent driving, and callous disregard for human life will provide no lasting solace to the Dura family.

But they deserve to know who this person was, and why they didn’t stop.

On a personal note, Michael Dutra didn’t live far from me. Knowing he rode his bike to Hanneford’s, makes me wonder if he’s was the bicyclist I’d seen occasionally riding by my house. I know his daughter Michelle. As I sit here updating this blog I see his kind face, and see his warm eyes looking back at me, it brings tears to my eyes. Hopefully the driver who hit and killed him will take the time to look at the face of Michael Dutra and think long and hard about what the right thing, the moral thing, to do is... here's more for that person:

A message to whoever committed this crime:

I won’t lecture you on morality. If you haven’t turned yourself in by now I think you have decided to put self-interest above any sense of doing what’s right.

However, I want to warn you that you will be caught.

If you’ve seen any crime shows, like CSI, you know that the police have so much evidence, it is only a matter of time before you are apprehended.

There’s nothing you can do about this.

The report this morning (Oct. 26) is that paint evidence hase been analyzed and the color of your Jeep, black, is now being reported to the media.

The police now know the color, make and model of the vehicle you were driving.

As you read this, detectives are viewing all the videos along the likely routes you took to get to Wood Street again. With new information about the color of your Jeep they are more likely to identify you.

Every body shop you could possibly go to in order to repair your vehicle has been notified.

By now everyone in and around Middleboro know enough about this horrible accident to report any suspicions.

So instead of doing the right thing, which you probably won’t, do the selfish thing.

By waiting you are making matters worse for yourself.

Get yourself a lawyer and turn yourself in.

A message to the passenger in the vehicle:

Obviously you know the driver. For whatever reason, you haven't come forward on your own. You may feel your are protecting Driver X, or you may be afraid of the consequences to yourself.

If Driver X cares at all about you, they will encourage you to see a lawyer.

If they don't, they really don't care all that much about you.

You need legal advice about going to the police or district attorney on your own.

Remember, your communication with a lawyer is privileged.

You need to find out if your lawyer can arrange for immunity from prosecution prior to revealing your identity.

Immunity means that as long as you tell the truth in court you will not face jail.

If you testify as to what happened that night and reveal who was driving, you may also be eligible for the reward, which is now over $2,500.

Morality aside, if you don't do this, there is every chance you will be charged with a serious crime, perhaps aiding and abeting, yourself. Therefore it is in your self-interest to put your needs first.